*Access: This video is in English with the addition of American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and English captions. You can find the original video HERE.
The Shield of Faith – Ephesians 6:16
Steadfast Hope with Steven J. Lawson
You need to raise your shield of faith in order to block the fiery darts of Satan.
Scripture References
Ephesians 6:16
Additional References
1 Peter 5 | Romans 10:17 | 2 Peter 3:18
Steven J. Lawson is the Founder and President of OnePassion Ministries, a ministry designed to equip biblical expositors to bring about a new reformation in the church.
For more information on Steven J. Lawson and OnePassion Ministries, check out onepassion.org.
Special thanks to Steven J. Lawson and OnePassion Ministries for graciously letting us translate their material into sign language for the deaf to enjoy and benefit from.
*Access: This video is in English with the addition of American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and English captions. You can find the original video HERE.
The Gospel of Peace – Ephesians 6:15
Steadfast Hope with Steven J. Lawson
Strap your boots on and always be prepared to share about Jesus.
Scripture References
Ephesians 6:15
Additional References
Romans 5:1 | Isaiah 52:7
Steven J. Lawson is the Founder and President of OnePassion Ministries, a ministry designed to equip biblical expositors to bring about a new reformation in the church.
For more information on Steven J. Lawson and OnePassion Ministries, check out onepassion.org.
Special thanks to Steven J. Lawson and OnePassion Ministries for graciously letting us translate their material into sign language for the deaf to enjoy and benefit from.
*Access: This video is in English with the addition of American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and English captions. You can find the original video HERE.
Girded with Truth – Ephesians 6:14
Steadfast Hope with Steven J. Lawson
In order to win in battle, you must hold firm to the truth.
Scripture References
Ephesians 6:14
Additional References
Isaiah 11:5 | Romans 6
Steven J. Lawson is the Founder and President of OnePassion Ministries, a ministry designed to equip biblical expositors to bring about a new reformation in the church.
For more information on Steven J. Lawson and OnePassion Ministries, check out onepassion.org.
Special thanks to Steven J. Lawson and OnePassion Ministries for graciously letting us translate their material into sign language for the deaf to enjoy and benefit from.
*Access: This video is in English with the addition of American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and English captions. You can find the original video HERE.
Stand Firm – Ephesians 6:13
Steadfast Hope with Steven J. Lawson
Stand firm, hold your place in spiritual warfare and resist the evil day.
Scripture References
Ephesians 6:13
Additional References
Luke 4
Steven J. Lawson is the Founder and President of OnePassion Ministries, a ministry designed to equip biblical expositors to bring about a new reformation in the church.
For more information on Steven J. Lawson and OnePassion Ministries, check out onepassion.org.
Special thanks to Steven J. Lawson and OnePassion Ministries for graciously letting us translate their material into sign language for the deaf to enjoy and benefit from.
*Access: This video is in English with the addition of American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and English captions. You can find the original video HERE.
Spiritual Warfare – Ephesians 6:12
Steadfast Hope with Steven J. Lawson
Do you think too much about the Devil or not enough? Are you aware of the war?
Scripture References
Ephesians 6:12
Steven J. Lawson is the Founder and President of OnePassion Ministries, a ministry designed to equip biblical expositors to bring about a new reformation in the church.
For more information on Steven J. Lawson and OnePassion Ministries, check out onepassion.org.
Special thanks to Steven J. Lawson and OnePassion Ministries for graciously letting us translate their material into sign language for the deaf to enjoy and benefit from.
*Access: This video is in English with the addition of American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and English captions. You can find the original video HERE.
The Full Armor – Ephesians 6:11
Steadfast Hope with Steven J. Lawson
Stand firm against the schemes of the Devil.
Scripture References
Ephesians 6:11
Additional References
1 John 2:20, 27
Steven J. Lawson is the Founder and President of OnePassion Ministries, a ministry designed to equip biblical expositors to bring about a new reformation in the church.
For more information on Steven J. Lawson and OnePassion Ministries, check out onepassion.org.
Special thanks to Steven J. Lawson and OnePassion Ministries for graciously letting us translate their material into sign language for the deaf to enjoy and benefit from.
*Access: This video is in English with the addition of American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and English captions. You can find the original video HERE.
Be Strong – Ephesians 6:10
Steadfast Hope with Steven J. Lawson
The Christian life is a battle. Be strong in the Lord.
Scripture References
Ephesians 6:10
Additional References
John 15:5
Steven J. Lawson is the Founder and President of OnePassion Ministries, a ministry designed to equip biblical expositors to bring about a new reformation in the church.
For more information on Steven J. Lawson and OnePassion Ministries, check out onepassion.org.
Special thanks to Steven J. Lawson and OnePassion Ministries for graciously letting us translate their material into sign language for the deaf to enjoy and benefit from.
ACCESS: This video is in American Sign Language (ASL) only.
A Friend Like Jesus: A Tribute to Bob Swan
Sometimes God brings someone into our lives, even if for a moment in time, for us to see His glory.
For me, that someone was Bob Swan.
Bob and I met just one short month before God called him home. We were connected through a mutual friend and it was apparent immediately of his incredible love for the Lord. Bob was excited and eager to work together to see the gospel go forth among the deaf community. He saw an urgent need, so we worked quickly to make content available.
Bob encouraged me daily with reminders that I was a precious daughter of the King and doing His work.
What I most appreciate about Bob during our very short earthly friendship was his attitude of joy. He was recently cleared of cancer just before meeting Jesus. His outlook on his health had been, “may God be glorified in my life whether I have cancer or not.”
Philippians 1:20, “…Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.”
In Scripture we see this overflowing from the Apostle Paul, who spoke those words in Philippians and who also encountered a thorn in the flesh. Though we don’t know exactly what this “thorn in the flesh” was for Paul, his attitude was as such:
“Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12: 8-10
In John Piper’s most recent book publication, “Coronavirus and Christ,” Paul’s thorn in the flesh is also mentioned. In chapter 9, page 85, of his book, Piper says, “To see the beauty of Christ, to cherish Christ as his supreme treasure, to show Christ to the world as better than health and life- that was Paul’s joy.”
That was Bob’s joy too.
Bob served, he taught, he encouraged and He loved Jesus. In one short month, he impacted my life tremendously and gave me significant encouragement in ministry and in my personal relationship with the Lord. Bob was an answer to prayer, a long-time prayer. He was a sweet reminder that God has a plan and a purpose for all who seek to put Him first.
May we all live each day in hope to impact those around us with the shining light of Jesus. Let us be beacons, guiding others clearly and directly to the glory of God, even if only for a moment in time.
Thank you Bob, my precious brother in Christ for your friendship and commitment to the cross.
2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
5 “This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his son cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”
Imagine yourself in elementary school science class. A beautiful white carnation is placed in a tall thin vase with water and put on your desk. Each one of your classmates is given their own flower to gaze upon independently. Your teacher tells you to admire its pure beauty. You look at the delicate petals and intricacies of its shape. You see its radiance. Just as you are smiling in your childlike wonder, your teacher walks up to your desk and squeezes several drops of blue food coloring in the vase. She explains part of your classwork for the next several days will include recording observations of your flower. The next day as you arrive to class, you notice your flower has maintained its healthy stance, but the color is no longer white, but blue! All your classmates cannot believe it! Just a day ago your flower was natural in color and a few drops was all it took to alter the edges of the flower, dramatically changing its appearance.
Think of your heart as the beautiful white carnation and your sin as the food coloring. Sin originates inside us and seeps outward, much like the discolored edges in the flower. Sometimes the appearance of sin is dramatic, while other times it’s so slight we nearly deceive ourselves.
Sin taints our human shade much like food coloring drops alter a flowers pigment. You see, the colored drops absorb into the stem of the flower and transform the outer flower shell into something different. When we sin, we are transformed from looking like Christ, to looking like the world.
James 1:15
“Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”
Sin can lead us to have various responses, depending on our level of denial. On one hand, we immediately recognize our need for repentance. On the other hand, we deny any trace of dirt. Leaving it unconfessed is dangerous.
ADAM & EVE
When God created Adam and Eve, they were undefiled. Sin had not yet entered the world so they lived in harmony with the blessings God gave them, unaware of the dangers of temptation lurking in the garden. God gave them only one rule; eat anything you want from anywhere in the garden you want, except that tree in the middle of the garden. God named that tree the “tree of knowledge of good and evil.”
Well one perfect day in Genesis 3:1-2, Eve is doing her thing, minding her own business, when she comes face to face with the tempter, Satan. “Did God actually say, you shall not eat of any tree in the garden?” Satan uses God’s own words against Eve in hopes to confuse her and make her question what she really remembered hearing. Satan’s words crumbled in Eve’s response, “We may eat of the fruit of the garden, but God said, you shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.”
Satan goes for shot number two, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:4-5). After Eve listens to Satan’s pitch, she gazes at the tree and suddenly sees the fruit’s lush appeal. So she eats, gives some to Adam and he eats, then like the flip of a switch, it occurs to them they are naked and need clothes.
Sin was born.
It is of course sin which causes division between us and God, but God willingly forgives if we seek it mercifully. Worse can befall us when we live in denial to our sin, not making much of it.
Remember 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.” Even when it is hard to admit, we MUST confess our sins. This is a stark contrast to verse 10, “If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” By living in arrogance we deny sin and therefore miss out on the opportunity for the cleansing and wisdom that would follow if we seek after His purity.
Living in denial and letting sin remain unconfessed only hurts you. The process of renewal in Christ can be challenging, but if you let Him, He can wipe your slate clean and create peace and joy within your soul.
“In the morning, when I rise, give me Jesus.”
“When I am alone, give me Jesus.”
“When I come to die, give me Jesus.”
Jesus.
When I think, speak and sign His name, a harvest of emotions surface. I want to hold on to the power of His name. The greatest cataclysm in this life is the awareness of so many “Christians” existing in the world. Those who attend church week after week, those who have a general belief in God, yet sadly those same neighbors, friends, coworkers and family believe those factors are enough to identify themselves as a “Christian.” Where is the passion to live with Christ-like conviction and purpose? Where is the urgency of pursuit and refusal to walk through each day suppressing the joy of the Lord in your heart given to you by Christ when He made you new? We express our love for Him, but we are more satisfied in going about our day to day, loving only ourselves.
I’m learning more and more that the days I don’t start with Jesus and spend time with Him, my flesh suffers. He deserves the highest honor by the first fruits of my time, but it is more than what He yearns for me to do. It truly has become a deep tangible desire in my being, to place Him above all else and really know Him as a close intimate friend.
It is not merely enough to go to church once a week. It is not merely enough to say a prayer and be baptized. It is not merely enough to ask and hope your needs will be fulfilled. Would you eat only once a week? Would you bathe once a week? Would you talk to your best friend only once a week? In order for your body to remain healthy physically, we must eat appropriately and practice good hygiene. To grow in relationship with our family and friends, we must communicate and spend time together. To have a solid growing fruitful connection with Christ, He MUST become a priority. He must reign over all else.
The term “Christian” comes from the Greek word christianos, a word formed from the Roman style meaning, “an adherent of Jesus.” This literally means those “stuck to” Jesus.
This term was not commonly used until after His ascension. Are you “stuck to” Jesus? Do you believe He is with your every step, every word and every action whether minuscule or significant of every day?
2 Peter 1:10 urges us to consider our options. “Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.” We can choose to follow Christ or not, but if you say “yes,” your daily growth should be exponential.
It is time to wear our “Christian” royal sash proudly. We have the richest gift by choosing to follow Him. His riches are unfolded every moment of the day if we seek and earnestly desire to walk close as a brother with Him.
In the gospel books of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John, we meet the twelve disciples. Nearly all of the accounts of the calling of the disciples are similar in nature. Jesus chooses them, greets them in person commanding them to, “follow me,” and immediately these men stop what they are doing and abandon their post to be with Jesus. James and John even leave their father to follow Him. “Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him.” Matthew 4:22
Some other examples of obedient people in scripture are these:
In Genesis 6 we see one of the first examples of an obedient believer. Abraham was told in Genesis 6 to “leave your father and mother and go to the land I will show you.” He did not argue, He simply took his family and left.
The Apostle Paul said “to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21
Jesus even spells out to a crowd in the book of Luke, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:26
I recall an instance in my life many years ago in which I knew God was calling me to walk away from a friendship. It was a difficult decision. This friend and I were very close, but every time I saw her, I was put in compromising situations. I knew the Lord was asking me to cut ties. I did and it was a lonely time in my post college years. After many months of absence from this friend, the Lord blessed me with friends who, to this day, continue to build up my life and consistently point me towards the Father. These friends did not ask me to choose between my faith convictions and the world. A true follower in the faith will come along side you, they will pour into you with truth and they will always point you to the One who holds tomorrow.
In closing, think about these three questions:
What would it take for you to live with reckless abandonment for Christ?
What are you willing to sacrifice to be His child?
